Zombie Undead » screenwriting script

The wonderful world of scripting by Kris Tearse

Rhys Davies — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:55:00 +0000

I had the fortune of hooking up with Rhys (ZU Director) not long after a project of my own burnt down in flames due to the great British weather and other niggling issues. I think it worked in our favour with ZU as I was able to bring a slightly pessimistic and realistic mind to the table, with knowledge on how not to make a movie! This combined with Rhys’s energy and optimism works well I think. I originally joined as Assistant Director but ended up taking up script writing duties as although the original script was quite fun, it was unrealistic in terms action sequences and props we would need. So after 6 weeks of getting home from work and sitting in front of my pc until 12ish I finally managed to get the first draft done – 5 drafts later and we had something that finally resembled a script! Originally we were looking to shoot this as a feature film but then decided podcasts would be a good way to promote the movie (I have to say I had a really fun time taking the script from 90 pages down to 65 pages and then converting the script into podcasts – it was a testing time!) We tend to edit the script as we do each shoot. I guess when I write lines it’s easy to imagine how I’d say it, but obviously this isn’t necessarily how somebody else would say it so the script gets changed. I’m not precious with the script. As long as I can see the amendments I’m generally quite happy with cast members changing lines to suit. My advice is: do not write a script if you’re not prepared to allow people to pull it apart – it will happen! So far we’ve filmed the majority of the first 4 podcasts and should hopefully have the majority of the 4^th podcast dialogue finished by the weekend.

Script Writing

Rhys Davies — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:54:00 +0000

Further to previous posts regarding script changes heres something else thats occured to us as the script devloped. This is one thats always bugged me when i see it in on low/no budget films so i have to rant about it here.

To me something that always emphasised the lack of budget in a low budget film is plot exposition. Not only is this poor writing ( show don’t tell ) but to me it telegraphs the viewer that you don’t have the money to back up your script ideas. Having 2 men in lab coats looking at a computer screen does not make a high powered nuclear bunker scene. The average cinema goer is very film literate and we shouldnt fool ourselves otherwise. The audience subconsciously understands the narrative conventions of cinema in an extremely advanced way so it was important we didn’t patronise them.

Lastly it also has the effect of slowing the pace down for no reason. Sure moments of calm are needed but use them to create tension, develop character and push the film forward.

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Script Locked

Rhys Davies — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:35:00 +0000

Yes indeed folks the script is locked and ready to roll. From 120 page first draft to a trim 80 pages this script rocks. Now we’ve just got to film it.

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Script Developments

Rhys Davies — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:12:00 +0000

Running at over 120 pages the first draft was a very different beast to later drafts both in content, style and length. Currently on the fourth draft its interesting to take time out and see the main ways the script has developed.

i) Characters merged and cut. This was particularly relevant to our film as it is low/no budget fare. Lack of budget necessitated a small cast.

ii) Setting Change – the setting for the film was altered fairly early on from a hospital setting to an evacuation center. The primary reason for this was budget. How to get props, costumes and a location which would look like a hospital ? This change forced upon us led to a tighter faster paced script with a greater social commentary angle- a happenstance of serendipity which seems to happen a lot around this film!

iii) Ruling out any extravagances – Kris wrote to what we thought we could get and if we couldnt then ditched it.

iii) Shorter – over 40 pages have been cut in the script. This was something we knew would always happen and was achieved largely by the above. Dialog read through’s also helped to get rid of any passages of dialog that were unnecessary to moving the film along.

So as we reach the fourth draft the script is leaner, faster and gorier.

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